By-pass lubricator



A. L. EICHER Y-PAss LUBRIGATOR Filed Feb. l2, 1927 3mm/kot A. L. @www l/jflv4 Stream@ rama@ nog. it, ieee.

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, 'The invention relatesv to by-pass lubricaregion of high pressure'in the housing to the vtors for friction contact' members such as, region' of low pressure, which low pressure Shafts, gears, worms and the like, and more region is usually in front of and adjacent particularly for the high speed worms used to the location of the friction contact sure@ t in the worm gear drives lof automobiles, and .facesof the worm and wheel.

usually -encased in the rear ,axle housings. A preferred embodiment of the improvein such automobile worm gear drives, the mentsis ,illustrated in the accompanying worm is frequentlyhbelow the gear wheel drawing forming part hereof, in which which itdrives. ln such a case when the Figure' 1 is a cross sectional view longi- @to il@ engine is not running and the worm consetudinal of the worm axis illustrating the quently not rotating, a suitable lubricant improved by-pass lubricator applied to the completely submerges the worm in its housworm of a worm gear drive in an automobile' ing, and partially submerges the wheel which rear axle; and

.meshes ,with the worm. Fig. 2, a' fragmentary sectional view Je Gravitation has been depended upon to thereof, as on line 2-2,Fig. 1. properly lubricate the friction; contacts of Similar numerals refer tosimilar parts the worm and wheel, but at the high speeds throughout the drawing. v at which the worm may rotate, which may be The improved ley-pass lubricator as apas high as '.3500 R. l?. M., it has been found plied to the Worm gear drive of an automo- 75 thatto drive the.- automobile forward, the bile rear axle illustra-tedgenerally at 1, in-

worm has a propeller action upon the lubricludesl a housing member 2 forming a lrecant, throwing the same `c entrifugally outceptacle for containing a lubricant in which ward from the worm and piiin it up backa worm 3 is operatively mounted ina usual ward to the rear of the Worm ousing, setmanner as in rear anti-friction bearings d Si ting up aregion of high pressure in the back and 4 and front anti-friction bearing 5.

of the housing, and aregion of low pressure The forward end of the worm shaft 6 in the front thereof.l Reverse conditions extends out ofthe housing'through-suitable existwhen the worm is rotating to drive the packing 7 and is secured to the rear end of automobile backward. a drive shaft 8 which is rotated in a usual a5 Conse uently the higher the speed of romanner by the automobile engine and transtation of the worm, the greater the danger mission gearing, not shown. l that the worm will be im` roperly lubricated, rlhe worm 3 meshes -with-a gear wheel and in fact there is a anger that at ver 9 mounted inthe usual manner upon a shaft high speeds, the worm will receive n'o lubri l l0 for driving the automobile rear wheels. eo cation whatever even though, as aforesaid, In the normal operation of the automobile there may be suiiicient lubricant in the housfor driving forward, the worm 3 is rotated ing. to totally submerge the worm and parclockwise when viewed axially from its for'- tially submerge the wheel when .the same ward end to drive the wheel 9 in the 'counter are notl'otating and the automobile is standclockwise direction indicated by the arrow a5 ing sti l1.

ceA Accordingly, the objects' of the present In order to lubricate the friction contact improvements are to provide a by-pass in surfaces of the worm and wheel, it has been one or more of the structural arts whereby -usual to fill the receptacle formed by the the worm may be properly lu ricated at all housing with a lubricant, so that, when the ice speeds, and whatever the direction of rotaworm and wheel are at rest, the normal static lai5 Ation thereof, and to provide structural means body' of the lubricant' completely submerges for more positively lubricating the worni the worm and partially submer 1es the wheel, under its normal running conditions of drivas indicated by the dash an dot line l2 ing the automobile forward. which may be the upper level of the lubriies rlhese and ancillary objects are attained in cant in the housing.

e0 the present improvements by a construction When the friction contact members, the

and arrangement hereinafter set forth in worm 3 and the wheel 9, are submerged in detail and which may be described in general the lubricant. in the housing 2' as aforesaid, terms as including one or more by-passes and whenthe improvements of .the present M10 adjacent to or incorporated in the worm, invention are not applied, it has been .found et `whereby the lubricant may How from the particularly at high speeds of rotation of be provided in the wall of the housing to' the worm, that the lubricant is thrown centrifugally outward and rearward by the propeller action of the worin threads and the rotation of the'worm wheel,I so as to pile up in the rear of the housing, when the automobile is being driven forward, creating a region of high pressure at the rear end 13 of the housing and a region .of low pressure at the forward end 14 thereof, and exposing the friction contact surfaces of the worm and wheel, which permits them to' become overheated.

When the automobile is being driven backward, reverse conditions exist in the housing, and a region of high pressure is set up in the forward end 14, and a region of low pressure is set up in the rear end 13, thereof.

A by-pass channel 15 having an opening 16 into the lubricantcontaining receptacle at the forward end of the worm ofthe gear, and an opening 17 into the lubricant containing receptacle at the rear end thereof, may` form a passage-way for the lubricant from the region of high pressure to the region .of low pressure in the lubricant in the receptacle, whatever maybe'the direction of rotation of the worm, and the propeller action of the worm threads forces the lubricant through this b -pass thus setting up a -continual iow of ubricant about the worm and carrying away the air therefrom. Both byt pass openings 16 and 17 are located to be within the normal static body of the lubricant below the normal static level thereof,

as indicated at 12.

The -by-pass l5 in cooperation with the other elements of the mechanism, provides a` way for the flow of lubricant from the high pressure region to the low pressure region in the-housing and over the worm regardless of the direction of rotation thereof; the higher pressure roduced in one region being sometimes su cient to cause a flow of the lubricant through the bypass into the lower pressure region within the housing directly v worm threads, and communicatin therewith through a .plurality of prefera ly angled radial ports 20.

-For more ositivelyA conveying and forcing the lubricant through the bypass 18 from the rear end, of the housing and through theV lorte 2Otothe friction contact surfaces of` t e worm andwheel, the axial ythreaded by'pass 18 to act as a screw Conveyor and positively forces :lubricant to pass therethrough and to be delivered outpf the ports 20 to the friction contact surface of the forward worin threads. All openings for the bypass-18ers located to be within the normal static body of the vlubricant' below the normal static level thereof.

As illustrated, the annual openings 22 about the rear bearings 4 and 4 provide passage-way for lubricant from the lubricant receptacle in the housing around the rear end of the worin shaft to the by-pass 1 8, andadditional ports 23 may be provided .in the, rear bearing walls of the housing for the same purpose.

The lubricating means, thus set forth in detail for ythe worm gearing which operates inthe housing to create a'region of high pressure inone portion of the housing, and a region of low pressure in another portion of the housing, positively cause a flow of lubricant over vthe friction contact surfaces of the gearing at all times, whereby danger of overheating isobviated, and the woim is at all timesproperly lubricated.

Moreover, by providing a plurality of ports 20 leading radially outward from the forward end ofthe axial by-pass 18 in the worm shaft, and especially by inclining said ports from a normal to a rearwardly inclined position, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, there will be such a siphoning action set up by the operation of the worin gearing that the lubricant will be discharged more rapidly from said ports than when they are not so rearwardly inclined.

Such siphoning action is so great that it will sometimes convey the lubricant forward through the by-pass 18 more rapidly than the lubricant can flow through the .ports 23 into the housing receptacle in i'ear of the worm shaft'6 and-its rear bearings 4 and 4, as a result of vwhich 'air pocketsA may be formed therein.- l ;Under such circumstances, it is desirable if not necessar vto use'the by-pass 15 in the wall of the 'ousing in conJunction with the by-pass 18 in the worm shaft 6. so that there w1l1`always be a full` and free How -of lubricant through the byspass 15 from the lou Ilo

vreceptacle .inffront of the rear bearings 4 Aand 4f of the worm shaft; thus making a truexcombination between both ofthe bypalsst illustrated and described` herein.

alm:

l. Lubricating means for friction contact members, such as worm gears and the like, including a housing member for containing a lubricant, gear members inthe housing member operating to create a region of high pressure in the lubricant in one portion of the housing and a region of low pressure in the lubricant in another portion of the housing adjacent the initial place of friction contact between said gear members, there being a bypass having one opening in said high pressure region and another opening in said low pressure region, so as to permit the.

lubricant to flow .from'the high pressure region through the by-pass to the low pressure region at the initial place of friction contact.

2. Lubricating means for friction contact members, such as worm gears and the like, including a housing member and gear members operatively mounted therein, the housing member forming a receptacle for containing a lubricant which is moved away from the friction contact surfaces of the gear members by operation of the same, there being a by-pass opening into the receptacle adjacent theinitial place of friction contact and also opening into the receptacle at another place to Where the lubricant is moved, whereby the lubricant is returned by the pressure caused by such movement, directly to said initial place of friction contact,

3. Lubricating means for friction contact members, such as worm gears and the like, including a housing member and gear members mounted therein, the housing member forming a receptacle for containing a lubricant which is moved away from the friction Contact surfaces of the gear members by operation of thel same, there being a bv-pass in one of the members opening into the receptacle adjacent the initial place of fric tion contact and also opening into the receptacle at another place'to which the lubricant is moved, whereby the lubricant is returned by the pressure caused by such movement, directly to said initial place of `friction contact.

e., Lubricating means for friction contact members such as worm gears and the like including a housing member adapted for containing a lubricant, gear members operatively mounted in the housmg with friction Contact surfaces normally submerged by the lubricant when not in operation, which lubricant may be thrown away from such friction surfaces to another place in the housing by the operation of the gear members, there being a ley-pass in one of the members opening at one end in said other -`la at the other end adjacent the initial place of friction contact, said lirst named opening being below the normal static level (if the lubricant, whereby thp lubricant so thrown avia-y may dow by the pressure caused thereby from said other.

place in the housing through said by-pass to said initial place of friction contact to lubricate the friction surfaces.

5. Lubricating means for friction contact members, such as Worm gears and the like, including a housing and gear members operatively mounted therein, the housing being adapted for containing -a lubricant which is moved away from the friction contact surfaces of the gear members by operation of the same, there being a by-pass in one gear member having an opening adjacent the initial place of friction contact and another opening spaced therefrom at another place to `which the lubricant is moved, whereby the lubricant is returned by the pressure caused by such movement, through the lay-pass, di rectly to such initial place of friction contact.

G. Lubricating means for friction contact members such as worm gears and the like, including a housing and gear members operatively mounted therein, the housing being adapted for. containing a lubricant which is moved away from the friction Contact surfaces of the gear members by operation of the same, there being a by-pass in one gear member having an opening adjacent the initial place of friction Contact and another opening spaced therefrom at a place to which the lubricant is moved, whereby the lubricant is returned by the pressure caused by such movement, through the by-pass, directly to such initial place of friction contact, 'there being means in the one gear member for increasing the How of lubricant through the by-pass.

7. Lubricating means for friction Contact members, such as worm gears and the like,

including a housing and gear members operatively mounted therein, the housing being adapted for containing a lubricant which is moved away from the friction Contact surfaces of the gear members by operation of the same, there being a tapered ley-pass in one gear member having an opening adiacent the initial place of friction contact and another opening spaced therefrom at a Yplace to which the lubricant is moved, whereby the lubricant is returned by the pressure caused by such movement, through the lay-pass, directly to such initial place of friction contact.

8. Lubricating means for friction contact members, such as worm gears and the like, including a housing and Wear members operativel mounted therein, the housing being ade'ited for containing a lubricant which is moved away from the friction contact surfacce of the gear members by operation of the o, there being a bypass one embcr having an opening piace of iction Contact L (lll . through the same.

members, such as 'worm gears andthe like,.'

cant is returned by; the'pressure caused by such -movement, trough the by-pass, di-

rectly to such initial place of friction contact, there being screw 'conveyor means inthe by-pass for increasing the iiow of lubricant 9. Lubricatinggmeans for friction contact including a housing and gear members operatively mounted therein, the housing being adapted for containing a lubricant which is moved 'away from the friction contact surfaces of the gear members by operation of the same, there being a tapered by-pass in one gear member having an opening adjacent the initial place of 'friction contact 'and another opening spaced therefrom at a place to which the lubricant is moved, whereby the lubricant is returnedby the pressure caused by such movement, through the by-pass, .directly to such initial 4place of friction contact, there being screw conveyor means in the by-pass for increasing the flow of lubricant through the same.

10.I Lubricatingimeans for friction Contact members, such as worm gears and the like,

including a housing and gear members oper,

atively mounted therein, the housing being adapted for containing a lubricant which is moved away from .the friction contact surfaces of the gearmembers byl peration of the same,vthere being anaxial by-pass in one gear member having rearwardly 'inclined' radial ports in its `forward end opening adjathe axial by-pass from the rear-end thereof and is discharged from the ports at the front end thereof directly to the initial place of friction contact; f v

11. Lubricatingmeans 4for friction con,- tact members, such asrworm gears Vand the like, including a housing and gear members mounted therein, the housin member forming a receptacle for containing, a lubricant which is moved away from the friction contact surfaces of the gearA members by operation of the same, there being a by-pass in the housing ceptacle adJacent the` initial place of 'friction vcontact and also opening into the receptacle at another place to which the` lubricant is moved whereby the lubricant is returned by the pressure 'caused by movement, directly to the initial place of friction contact, and' there being an axial by-passlin one of the gear membershaving an opening adjacent the initial place of friction Contact and another opening -spaced therefrom at another place' to which the lubricant is moved, there member opening into the rebeing means in said axial by-pass causing the How of lubricant through the same and discharging it directly to the initial place of friction Contact.

In testimony 'that ,If claim the above, Iv

have Ahereunto subscribed my name.

ALBERT- L; EICHER. 'l 

